It is pretty typical to become “Lost in Translation” literally right after you flew to Japan. So do I. Even for a lot of Japanese, it was pretty frustrating to make a phone call when coming back to this small island occasionally. Besides, telephone call becomes in need when you want get help from public service especially. I needed to ask some questions about legal matters to an agency without any phone since it was right after I arrived to Japan.
So here is what I did to make a phone call to an agency from my laptop. All you need is a wifi connection and a device.
Use Google Hangouts
That’s it. If you have been using it, it is also usable in Japan. You can even call to local dial number too. Here is what I did.
- Find a wifi connection nearby
- Open Google Hangouts on your laptop or smartphone
- Press “Phone Call”
- Type phone number in the search box shown in the screen shot below
To make a phone call on Google Hangouts
I was able to call to the agency with these steps basically. If you have no deposit on your Google Hangouts, press plus button in the search box.
On the next screen, you will be able to find some options to add credit card so that you can fund your empty deposit.
To deposit money on Google Hangouts
The quality of the phone was good enough to make a normal conversation. It was supra easy, handy and accessible overall.
So keep it in your mind this tip! Now, you don’t have to rush to buy a cell phone or SIM card right after you arrive to Narita airport. This will extremely useful when you want to call your Japanese at the airport to notify that you have arrived safely.
Let me know if you know other tips!
Peace out! 8-)
Also published on Medium.